One of the hazards of living alone, especially for seniors, is the possibility of a medical emergency, such as a fall, that renders the person unable to reach a telephone and call for help. To address this problem, personal assistance monitoring systems have been invented and marketed.
One popular personal assistance monitoring system is the Lifeline Medical Alert system, which comprises a pendant that is worn around the person's neck, and a device that comprises a two-way speaker that is attached to a wireline telephone. When the person suffers a medical emergency, he or she can push a button on the pendant, which transmits a radio signal that prompts the device to place a call, via the wireline telephone, to an assistance monitoring facility. A call center agent answers the call, and attempts to ascertain, via the two-way speaker, whether the person needs assistance. When the person indicates that he or she needs assistance, the agent dispatches emergency medical services to the person's residence.
Personal assistance monitors in the prior art are valuable and have undoubtedly saved lives, but they have costs and disadvantages.